The present invention relates to a radially adjustable support for a cutting insert which is primarily useful in boring applications. The support of the present invention may also be used in milling and other types of cutting tool operations.
Conventional milling tools often employ a milling head which has circumferentially spaced V-shaped slots. Each slot contains a seat which holds an insert parallel to one surface of the slot. A wedge is located between the other surface of the slot and the insert to hold the insert in position.
In milling operations, as the cutting insert wears, it is usually possible to move the location of the tool to account for the reduced diameter of the cutting edge. In boring operations, where the inner diameter of the bore is determined by the outer diameter of the cutting inserts, wear of the cutting inserts results in a different bore diameter. Accordingly, in boring operations, it is necessary to adjust the position of the cutting inserts, or replace them prematurely, to obtain a repeatable and constant boring diameter.
With the V-shaped slots used in milling heads, the radial position of the cutting insert cannot be adjusted. If the seat is moved radially outwardly, the distance between the insert and the far side of the slot increases, and the wedge will not engage the insert at the proper location, or perhaps not at all. The use of V-shaped slots for mounting cutting tools in milling heads has been found to be extremely useful, but because of the lack of radial adjustablity, this type of mounting system has not been used in boring tools.